Enjoy these tips from Jane! She’s our Foundations of Event Planning Instructor and has just started a new term with a class of event enthusiasts from across the globe. If you are looking to charge your batteries or add to your event planning tool-kit, join us! It’s not to late to enroll in our Five-Course Certificate Program or a Specialty Course.

Destination Management Companies and Services – what they can do to familiarize you with an area and support a local Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Destination Marketing Organization or Convention and Visitors Bureau – the important role they play in the success of your meetings, conferences or events.

Corporate Events and Conferences – understanding how much can you expect a CVB to do.

Markets Differences – First Tier Market: New York City, Boston, Chicago or Second/Third Tier: smaller markets and cities. What they can offer, flexibility and constraints.

FAM or Familiarization Tour – Group Experiences for Incentive Travel Professionals and how to qualify to attend one and maximize the experience.

Tips from Jane to make the most of your relationship with Destination Services:

Do your homework – view the destination city website and familiarize yourself with the location and how it can fit your needs.

Size of Convention Center

Number of hotels

Off-site excursions available in area

Reach out to contacts at the destination – visitors bureau, colleagues, professional groups.

Know your needs – space, investment you have to make, programs.

Listen to the city representative with what they can and cannot do.

Prioritize – what MUST you have – what’s a SHOW STOPPER for you.

Where’s your wiggle room – pricing, rates, space needs.

Once Booked:

Let them know everything you need – put everything out on the table.

Act like a partner during the planning process.

Do your site inspections prior to and final inspections – tastings, dry runs for transportation/shuttles, meeting the mayor.

View it like an attendee!

We hope you find this Webinar and the information provided by Jane helpful to you in your event or meeting planning career. Visit our Facebook page to find out about new webinars that we’ll be hosting. We hope to see you in the virtual hallways of the Special Events Institute!